The present invention relates generally to a cotton harvester and more specifically to an air system for the cotton conveying ducts of such a harvester.
To convey cotton from the rear of the harvesting units to the basket of a cotton harvester, ducts are commonly provided such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,437. Air is directed into the lower portion of each duct by a spout or nozzle which induces a flow of air by vacuum below the nozzle to draw cotton upwardly toward the nozzle from a suction door structure on the cotton harvesting unit. The cotton is then propelled upwardly to the basket by the stream of air from the nozzle.
Connected to each nozzle is a flexible conduit that extends around the harvesting unit housing to a blower located on the harvester frame for providing air flow to move the cotton. Such a blower is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,191. The problem with this type of structure is that the blower is far removed from the ducts and a large amount of expensive flexible conduit is required since each duct is fed by a separate conduit. The conduit is easily damaged since it must be routed around the harvester units near the lift and drive assemblies. In addition, four-row cotton harvesters of the type, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,828, typically have as many as six cotton conveying ducts which greatly increases the amount of conduit required if a conventional air distribution system is utilized.